Basketball Referee

Basketball Referee

Rndballref

20 Years Experience

Chicago, IL

Male, 60

For twenty years I officiated high school, AAU and park district basketball games, retiring recently. For a few officiating is the focus of their occupation, while for most working as an umpire or basketball referee is an avocation. I started ref'ing to earn beer money during college, but it became a great way to stay connected to the best sports game in the universe. As a spinoff, I wrote a sports-thriller novel loosely based on my referee experiences titled, Advantage Disadvantage

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Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

Do you think 3 second rule should be abandoned like palming and traveling? Would it change the game?

Asked by srkaren10587@msn.com almost 9 years ago

No, it should be called only when it affects the outcome. By the way, travelling and palming (carrying the ball) are still violations.

I see too many arguments over camping out in the lane. I think lack of calling three second is the cause. Advantage in my experience has always been to the camper because I have to work harder to prevent entry passes in front of rim.

Asked by rimbreaker almost 9 years ago

I respect your position but in my experience coaches mark down the refs who call a lot of 3 second violations - it just feels like a cheap call that interupts the game too often

Player from Team A outleaps player from Team B at the tipoff. While he is the 1st to the ball, player from Team A tips it to Team B who controls possession. Who gets the ball next jump ball? (NCAA rules)

Asked by Philip over 8 years ago

Ok. First there is no possession on the tip. So player A1 (jumper) tips the ball - no possession. Then, the ball comes to A2 who tips the ball to B1.  

If A2 tipped the ball in a controlled manner, then A2 had possession and the arrow is set to team B.  If A2 did not control the ball when A2 tipped it, then team B got the first possession and the arrow is set to team A.

a player tried to block my shot, too far away so he lowered into my face. I told him it was cheap and a tech foul. He said not if I was shooting and he "tried" to block my shot. I said didnt matter, face guarding is face guarding shooting or not.

Asked by Darcy almost 9 years ago

Rule 10, section 3, which delineates player technical fouls, Article 6d, "A player shall not commit an unsporting foul. This includes, but is not limited to purposely obstructing an opponent's vision by waiving or placing hands near his/her eyes."

Why isn't it an offensive foul when a shooting player jumps into the defender? The shooter creates the contact but is always rewarded.

Asked by Crcsda about 8 years ago

If an offensive player jumps and causes contact within the defender's space it should be called a player control foul, unless the contact did not change the play in a material way (Advantage Disadvantage Theory of Officiating).

Is it acceptable to hand the ball to an inbounder rather than passing the ball to an inbounder?

Asked by Cholly almost 9 years ago

yes, unless the mechanics have changed in the past couple years, we were required to hand the ball to the in bounders on end line throw-ins. There is an advantage of bouncing the call to the in bounder on the sidelines because it allows the on-ball referee administering the throw in to step back and take a wider view (while he counts the 5 seconds).

Are players allowed to disagree with calls if they are not directing their comments to the ref but to players on their own team?

Asked by Riley almost 9 years ago

Yes as long as they do it without trying to show up the ref. For example, the player turns to his bench and says loudly, "that fat a$$ is the worst ref we've ever had". That would be a t.